Tutorial – I(2013-14)

MI-106 : Thermodynamics
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee

Topic: Basic Concepts

1. Explain by giving suitable examples: 
(a) System, surroundings, boundary 
(b) Closed system, control volume, isolated system 
2. Differentiate  between  microscopic  and  macroscopic  approaches  for  the  study  of 
thermodynamic  systems.  Give  the  problems  or  areas  to  which  they  have  successfully  been 
applied 
3. What is Continuum Hypothesis? Give its significance. 
4. How can you determine whether a variable is a property of the system or not? 
5. What  is  a  quasi‐static  or  quasi‐equilibrium  process?  Can  you  represent  a  non  equilibrium 
process on thermodynamic‐coordinate diagrams (like PV diagram). 
6. For analyzing each of the listed events, specify the kind of system you would use and sketch 
the system boundary, showing energy or mass interaction: 
(a) Inflating a bicycle tire with a hand pump. 
(b) Cooling the power supply of a desktop computer. 
(c) The change in size of a balloon left in the sun 
(d) The change in air pressure within a sealed package as temperature changes. 
(e) Pumping water from a lake to an overhead storage tank 
(f) A gas in a cylinder expanding against a piston to compress a coil spring 
(g) Mixing of foods by an electric mixer. 
(h) Heating water in a household gas‐ fired water heater. 
7. For  some  substances,  pv  BT ,  where  P,v,  T,  B  are  pressure,  specific  volume,  temperature 
and a constant, respectively. The quantities s and r are given by 
dT dP
     s or ds  c v   
T T
dT dv
                        r or dr  g  P   
T v
where c and g are constants. Determine whether each of these quantities is a property. 
8. Three thermodynamic quantities X, Y, Z are defined as  
X   ( Pdv  vdP ); Y   P( dv  vdP ); and Z   ( RdT  Pdv )  

where  R  Pv / T  constant. Which of these quantities X,Y, and Z are properties. 
9. Two  different  processes  A  and  B  connect  the  same  end  states  1  and  2.  Work  W  is  a  path 
function and volume V is a state function. 
(a) Is the statement:  W12, A  W12,B  true or false? 
(b) Is the statement:   V12, A  V12,B   true or false? 
 
 Tutorial – II(2013-14)
MI-106: Thermodynamics
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, IIT Roorkee

Topic: Properties of pure substances

1. Determine whether water at each of the following states is a compressed liquid, a

superheated vapor, or a mixture of saturated liquid and vapor.
a. 10 MPa, 0.003 m3/kg b. 1 MPa, 190°C
c. 200°C, 0.1 m3/kg d. 200 kPa, 10°C

2. Find the phase, quality x if applicable and the missing property P or T.

a. H2O T = 120°C, v = 0.5 m3 /kg b. H2O P = 100 kPa, v = 1.8 m3/kg

3. A sealed rigid vessel has volume of 1 m3 and contains 2 kg of water at 100°C. The vessel is
now heated. If a safety pressure valve is installed, at what pressure should the valve is
set to have a maximum temperature of 200°C? (431.3 kPa)

4. A pressure cooker has the lid screwed on tight. A small opening with A
= 5 mm2 is covered with a petcock that can be lifted to let steam
escape. How much mass should the petcock have to allow boiling at
120oC with an outside atmosphere at 101.3 kPa?

5. A pressure cooker (closed tank) contains water at 100°C with the liquid volume being 1/10
of the vapor volume. It is heated until the pressure reaches 2.0 MPa. Find the final
temperature. Has the final state more or less vapor than the initial state?
(More vapor, 212.4°C)

6. A piston/cylinder arrangement is loaded with a linear spring and the

outside atmosphere. It contains water at 5 MPa, 400°C with the volume
being 0.1 m3. If the piston is at the bottom, the spring exerts a force
such that Plift = 200 kPa. The system now cools until the pressure
reaches 1200 kPa. Find the mass of water, the final state (T2, v2) and
plot the P–v diagram for the process. (0.01204 m3/kg, 188°C)

7. Argon is kept in a rigid 5 m3 tank at −30°C, 3 MPa. Determine the mass

using the compressibility factor. What is the error (%) if the ideal gas model is used?
308.75 kg, 4% Error.

8. What is the percent error in specific volume if the ideal gas model is used to represent
the behavior of superheated ammonia at 40°C, 500 kPa? What if the generalized
compressibility chart is used instead? v = 0.2923 m3/kg, 4.5% and 1.4% Error.